Abstract
The purpose of this study was to study the growth of struvite crystals from the effect of adding tartaric acid additives to an aqueous solution containing Mg2+, NH4+, and PO43-with a molar ratio of 1:1:1. The results of the study, it was found that the more the concentration of tartaric acid additive was added, it got smaller the rate constant was. By decreasing the value of the constant rate, the growth of struvite crystals also decreased then the growth of struvite crystals became inhibited. On the other hand, struvite has the potential to be used as a fertilizer. The concentration of tartaric acid also had a significant effect on controlling the production of struvite. The optimum crystal mass was obtained at a concentration of 20 ppm tartaric acid, a temperature of 40oC and a stirrer rotation of 300 rpm so that it can be applied in manufacture industry of struvite fertilizer.
Highlights
Struvite is the crystal of magnesium, ammonium, and phosphate
The purpose of this study was to study the growth of struvite crystals from the effect of adding tartaric acid additives to an aqueous solution containing Mg2+, NH4+, and PO43- with a molar ratio of 1:1:1
The change in pH resulting from the crystallization reaction with the release of H+ ions is caused by the hydrolysis of tartaric acid it is a weak acid, with very low Ksp
Summary
Struvite is the crystal of magnesium, ammonium, and phosphate. The process of forming struvite is carried out by reacting Mg2+, NH4+, and PO43-. This crystal has the chemical formula, magnesium ammonium phosphate hexahydrate (MgNH4PO4.6H2O), and generally it is a white crystal. The process of formation of struvite was two steps, namely nucleation and growth. The former step occurs when the constituent ions combine to form a crystal nucleus. The formation of crystal nucleus was formed when the concentration of magnesium, ammonium, and phosphate exceeds the solubility of the resulting product which were the value of Ksp (solubility product constant). Three carboxylic acids (citric acid, tartaric acid and maleic acid) were used as
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